Owls Plate 16 Runs, take Series Opener from No. 18 Ranked Marauders

Citrus College Baseball kicked off their three-game series against Antelope Valley College in thrilling fashion, securing a 16-13 road victory yesterday, Tuesday, April 1. 

With the win, Citrus improves to 10-18 overall and 5-5 in conference play, while Antelope Valley goes to 20-9 overall, also sitting at 5-5 in conference action. 

The Owls wasted no time getting on the board, striking first in the second inning when Ezekiel Escalera lifted a sacrifice fly to bring home Isaac Nava for an early 1-0 lead. Antelope Valley responded with a two-run bottom half to go up 2-1. 

Jordan Quintero knotted the game at 2-2 with an RBI single in the third, setting the stage for an explosive fourth inning. Citrus erupted for six runs, sparked by a Dustin Yela two-run double. Kirk Felikian II followed with an RBI single, Luke Willison added a run-scoring double, and Quintero doubled in another before Chase Bernal capped the rally with an RBI double of his own, giving the Owls a commanding 8-2 advantage. 

The Marauders chipped away with three runs in the fifth, but Citrus answered right back in the sixth. Nava drove in a run with an RBI single, and Roman Huizar added a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 10-5. 

Citrus continued to pour it on in the seventh, adding three more runs. Willison ripped an RBI single, Hellein scored on a wild pitch, and Quintero knocked in his 32nd RBI of the season—seventh in the conference—to put the Owls up 13-5. 

Antelope Valley made things interesting with a massive seven-run outburst in the bottom of the seventh, closing the gap to 13-12. However, the Owls responded again in the eighth, as Yela delivered his second two-RBI double of the game, followed by an Adrian Sanchez RBI single to cushion the lead at 16-12. 

The Marauders managed to get one more run in the ninth, but closer Reece Harney slammed the door, inducing a game-ending double play to seal the 16-13 victory for Citrus. 

Citrus racked up an impressive 19 hits, with five players recording multi-hit games: 

• Luke Willison: 4-for-5, 2 doubles, 4 runs, 2 RBIs, 1 stolen base 

• Dustin Yela: 2-for-5, 4 RBIs, 3 runs, 2 stolen bases, 1 walk 

• Isaac Nava: 4-for-5, 1 RBI, 1 run 

• Jordan Quintero: 2-for-4, 3 RBIs, 2 runs 

• Chase Bernal: 2-for-5, 2 runs, 1 RBI, 1 walk 

The Owls will look to carry their momentum into game two of the series when they return home to face Antelope Valley College on Thursday, April 3, at 2 p.m.